Articles
Knowing The LORD - Exodus 34:6-7
Knowing The LORD - Exodus 34:6-7
"Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Ex. 34:6-7).
This is God’s revelation of Himself. I would suggest that you memorize this and then meditate upon each aspect.
“Know the LORD” is a phrase that appears some 9 times in the Old Testament, but the idea of knowing God permeates the whole of Scripture. Jeremiah writes: "Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23–24).
Jesus said: "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
Too many people today know only their own caricature of God, which only means that they do not know God. Many would read this statement of God about himself, and then pick and choose which elements to believe. Many of us, while not denying any of these things, would emphasize some to the point of ignoring others. In doing so we end up with a wrong picture of God and thus do NOT know God as God.
Moses responded as ALL should respond to such knowledge of God: “"Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship” (Ex. 34:8). Can you say that you know the LORD?
Hugh DeLong
